for given equation list the intervepts and test for symmetry y=-5x/x^2+25
in Calculus Answers by

Your answer

Your name to display (optional):
Privacy: Your email address will only be used for sending these notifications.
Anti-spam verification:
To avoid this verification in future, please log in or register.

1 Answer

This is open to interpretation. y=-5x/x^2+25 could be y=(-5x/x^2)+25 or y=-5x/(x^2+25).

The intercepts are found by setting one variable to zero and solving the equation for the other variable.

In the first interpretation, we need first to consider x close to zero, because we cannot divide by zero. -5x/x^2 is -5/x and as x tends to zero from the positive side this expression tends to negative infinity, so there is no y intercept and the y axis is an asymptote; as x tends to zero from the negative side, the expression tends to positive infinity. When y=0, 5/x=25 so the x intercept is 1/5. The graph is a hyperbola. The line y=25 is an asymptote for very large values of x (positive and negative) and there is a symmetry about this line (parallel to the x axis) and the y axis. The curve below the line and to the right of the y axis is a reflection of the the curve above the line and to the left of the y axis.

In the second interpretation, y=0 when x=0. So the origin represents both intercepts. The symmetry can be seen if we look at x=-X and x=X. y=5X/(X^2+25) and y=-5X/(X^2+25). These two values have the same magnitude but opposite signs, so there is symmetry about the x axis (y=<0), in that the shape above the x axis for negative values of x is the same as the shape below the x axis for positive values of x.

by Top Rated User (1.2m points)

Related questions

0 answers
0 answers
0 answers
asked Mar 7, 2013 in Geometry Answers by anonymous | 671 views
Welcome to MathHomeworkAnswers.org, where students, teachers and math enthusiasts can ask and answer any math question. Get help and answers to any math problem including algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, trigonometry, fractions, solving expression, simplifying expressions and more. Get answers to math questions. Help is always 100% free!
87,516 questions
100,279 answers
2,420 comments
731,484 users